5 Best Mac Backup Services 2016

We all love technology, but everyone that’s ever owned a computer knows that it’s not without its risks and frustrations. For example, did you know that you’ve got a one in 20 chance of your hard drive failing in 2016? Worrying, right?! Admittedly Macs are well known for breaking down less often than Windows PCs, but the risk is still there – and if you avoid running a Mac backup, a crash could leave you without important documents and much-loved photos in seconds.

Here at BestBackups, we can’t do much to help you with the repairing side of things, but we can certainly make sure that you hang on to your files*. As a result, we’ve spent some time comparing Mac backup software to find the very best options out there – so read on for our definitive list of the 5 best Mac backup services in 2016!

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CrashPlan

5/5

PROS

Great security Easy to use Low price

CONS

No file sharing options Only backup from one device

With unlimited storage space and both automatic and scheduled backups available, CrashPlan ticks most of the boxes of a great traditional backup service, and works just as well on Mac as it does on Windows. Those looking for file sharing options might not find their needs met, but if you’re just looking for a way to keep lots of files safe and secure, you can’t go wrong with CrashPlan.

When it comes to keeping your data safe, end-to-end encryption and optional two-factor authentication do a very good job of keeping your files protected. On top of that, Mac desktop and mobile clients are simple and easy to use, and the customer support team can provide you with everything you’ll need to keep yourself out of trouble. A low-end price completes the package, making CrashPlan undeniably one of the most desirable backup services on the market.

Sound good? Why not head over to CrashPlan’s website and sign up now!Visit CrashPlan »

30-day free trial

2nd place

IDrive

4.5/5

PROS

Loads of features Strong security Easy to use Low price

CONS

Price increase after first year

An impressive range of features including file sharing, local backups and archiving options give IDrive quite a lot of kerb appeal, but its strengths run deeper than that. An excellent backup for Mac, IDrive is user-friendly and performs simple tasks extremely well, at the same time as keeping your data secure with end-to-end encryption.

Priced firmly at the lower end of the spectrum, IDrive won’t break the bank, although you will be hit with an automatic price increase in the second year of your subscription. Even with this jump, however, IDrive remains great value for money. Give their 5GB free account a try or take a look at their paid subscriptions by following the link below.

SOS

4.2/5

PROS

File sharing Good security Diverse range of features

CONS

Not very user-friendly Slightly higher price

Nailing the midpoint between online backup and Cloud storage, SOS combines top-notch security and well-developed file transfers with file sharing and synchronization to great effect. Its sleek interface hides software that can be confusing at times, but everyone except the least experienced users should be able to succeed with a little time and effort. Security-conscious users should be swayed by end-to-end encryption, and NAS and local backups might convince techies too, giving SOS a wide-ranging appeal.

With prices starting from $7.99 per month, it’s not the cheapest option but SOS has plenty to offer, and you can try it for free thanks to a 15-day trial. Follow the link below to give it a go!

Backblaze

3.9/5

PROS

Very easy to use Good security Unlimited storage space Low price

CONS

Very few extra features No file sharing options

The queen of low-maintenance backups, Backblaze doesn’t have many frills attached, but it does offer a very solid set of essential backup features for Mac, as well as other operating systems. Although there’s not a lot of scope for customisation, if you don’t want to think about your stored files until you really need them, it might just be the perfect provider for you.

Unlimited storage space means that you’ll never run out of room, and good security complete with end-to-end encryption adds data privacy to the list of things you won’t have to worry about. With subscriptions priced at just $5 per month, you won’t need to think too much about your bank balance either. Try it for free for 15 days by following the link below!

Mozy

3.6/5

PROS

Customizable plans Good security Local storage backups

CONS

No file sharing options Limited storage space Can be confusing to use

Mozy is one of the biggest backup providers currently operating, with their fair share of satisfied customers returning year after year. We could see why when we tried out their software, as end-to-end encryption, local backups, file synchronisation and the option to add extra storage space and additional devices for a nominal fee left us very impressed.

Less impressive were the lack of file sharing options, limited storage space and software that was difficult to use in places but, on the whole, we found that Mozy’s good points outweighed its slightly disappointing ones.

With a free 2GB account and 30-day money back guarantee available, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to take Mozy for a spin before you sign up – after which, you can get 50GB for $5.99 per month. See for yourself by clicking the link below!

Time machine backups

When talking about Mac backup, Time Machine will inevitably come up – so how does Apple’s own backup software fit in?

Time Machine is an excellent solution for anyone looking to backup a Mac to an external device (usually Apple’s own Time Capsule, although other devices will work just fine too). Time Machine doesn’t appear on our list not because we think it’s bad, but because we specialise in Cloud-based storage – but if you’re looking for local Mac backups, it’s well worth a try.

In fact, here at BestBackups we’re big fans of the 3-2-1 backup strategy, which is a great way of making sure that your files stay safe no matter what – so grab yourself an external storage device and get saving!

iCloud

Apple enthusiasts might be wondering about the absence of iCloud – the signature online backup for Mac. We’ve given it a miss here for two reasons:

Given that it’s built into all Apple devices, we figure that readers searching for Mac backup solutions have already given it a try and decided that they’d rather backup without iCloud. We’re big fans of freedom of choice here, so set out to present you with the best alternatives instead!

While it has many strengths, we don’t think that iCloud is the best service for Mac online backup. While it’s great for sharing files between multiple Apple-made devices, iCloud’s caveat that you have to either save your data by creating a second, seriously storage-intensive, local copy of your files, or keep them in the Cloud but not on your computer, seems a bit all-or-nothing to us. You can find out what we think in more detail by checking out our iCloud review – and of course, let us know what you make of our decision by leaving us a comment!

Our Mac backup criteria

We run independent tests on all of the providers we review, checking out their usability, features, security and customer support for ourselves. We also keep our information as up to date as possible, though do leave us a comment and let us know if we’ve missed any important developments!

The providers that we feel deserve a spot on the best backups for Mac list are ones that provide a great all-round service, with a good client and full features available for Apple users. We’ve also looked exclusively at online backups here – services that offer plenty of storage space, automatic backups and great security. If you’re more interested in sharing your files and accessing them from multiple devices, you might want to take a look at our 5 best Cloud storage providers for Mac list instead.

Conclusion

There are plenty of great backup providers out there for Mac users, but when we thought about which we’d want to have set up ourselves, these five were the first that came to mind. Whether you want to share your files, play around with extra features or simply set up a backup and forget all about it, there’s an option for you. All that’s left to do is sign up!

One response to “5 Best Mac Backup Services 2016”

Effective August 22, 2017, Code42 will no longer offer new – or renew – CrashPlan for Home subscriptions, and we will begin to sunset the product over several months. CrashPlan for Home will no longer be available for use starting October 23, 2018.